(Visitors queue for the award-winning Stingray water slide at O’Gliss Park in France. Designed by Polin Waterparks, Stingray was named Europe’s Best Water Slide for the second year in a row at the 2025 European Star Awards.)
This month’s roundup features top honors, cross-venue collaboration, and inclusive strategies from Asia-Pacific to Europe
Asia-Pacific
Qudos Bank Arena Wins TechDiversity Award for Multicultural Campaign
Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and CulturalPulse won a Merit Award at the 2025 TechDiversity Awards for a campaign aimed at improving engagement with multicultural audiences. The initiative introduced targeted changes to signage, staffing, food, and communications after data showed significantly lower satisfaction at multicultural concerts. Now part of daily operations, the strategy is being held up as a new model for inclusion in the live events sector.
ICC Sydney Hosts AWS Summit 2025, Highlights Scale, Inclusion and Sustainability
International Convention Centre Sydney welcomed more than 10,000 attendees across its venue for the AWS Summit 2025. The two-day event featured immersive tech showcases and keynotes, while also achieving an 83% waste diversion rate and introducing inclusive navigation tools like visual venue guides for delegates. The event activated all three of ICC Sydney’s main buildings and included a high-profile executive forum. Organisers reused key infrastructure to reduce waste, part of broader sustainability reporting supported by the venue’s CSR team.
Cairns Convention Centre to Host ICOM2026, a First for Australia
The International Conference on Mycorrhiza (ICOM) will come to Australia for the first time in 2026, with Cairns Convention Centre set to host more than 500 global delegates from July 12–17. The event will feature over 230 scientific presentations focused on climate adaptation, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience through the lens of mycorrhizal research. Organizers are emphasizing sustainability, early-career development, and international collaboration. Located near the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest, Cairns will also offer delegates opportunities for environmental exploration and cultural experiences.
Europe
BMA House Highlights Sustainability in New Holiday Event Model
London’s BMA House is shifting away from one-size-fits-all year-end events with a new customizable model for holiday parties in 2025. Organizers can choose between reception-style gatherings or seated dinners, with add-ons ranging from dessert stations to courtyard food trucks. The venue, located in Bloomsbury, emphasizes sustainability across its operations, offering low-carbon menus, reusable décor, and event-specific carbon tracking tools.
Stingray at O’Gliss Park Named Europe’s Best Water Slide Again
Polin Waterparks won four honors at the 2025 European Star Awards, including Best Water Slide in Europe for the Stingray at France’s O’Gliss Park—for the second year running. Other winning slides were located in Greece, Poland, and Italy. The awards, presented during IAAPA Expo Europe in Spain, recognize standout innovation in water and amusement park attractions.
IAAPA Expo Europe 2025 Wraps in Barcelona, Draws Nearly 16,000 Attendees
IAAPA Expo Europe 2025 concluded in Barcelona with 15,877 verified attendees and more than 700 exhibitors from across the global attractions industry. Held at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, the five-day event featured over 60 education sessions and behind-the-scenes tours of PortAventura World and Water World. Announcements included a new family coaster from Vekoma and plans for a Dutch theme park by Van Hoorne Studios and partners. IAAPA Expo Europe 2026 will be held in London.
The Eastside Rooms Wins Best Venue at 2025 Memcom Awards
Birmingham’s Eastside Rooms won Gold for Best Venue at the 2025 Memcom Excellence Awards, recognizing its innovation, accessibility, and sustainability in serving associations and membership organisations. Highlights include a 37.5% increase in association event turnover, a new Scope 3 carbon tracking tool, and consistent partnerships with sector bodies. The venue features Birmingham’s largest pillar-free ballroom and connects directly to the adjacent Aloft hotel.
Legends Global Highlights Yorkshire Venues in Multi-City Showcase
Legends Global hosted a venue showcase across four Yorkshire locations—York Barbican, Connexin Live Hull, Sheffield City Hall, and First Direct Arena Leeds—demonstrating how a single operations team can support events at scale. Senior buyers from the MICE and major events sectors toured the venues through a coordinated itinerary, with activations that included a VIP concert box, city transfers via “Yorkshire Party Bus,” and interactive activities like ballroom dancing. The showcase emphasized the benefits of unified contracting, shared service standards, and streamlined delivery across Legends’ UK venue portfolio.
